Tag Archives: IML

Mr. and Ms. Texas Leather crowned … but not without some controversy

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UPDATED at 1:00 p.m.

The announcement of the new Ms. Texas Leather ended up being the most dramatic thing that happened Saturday night at the Dallas Eagle.

While the Mr. Texas Leather competition was full of deserving candidates, only one woman, who goes by Master Ces, entered for Ms. Texas Leather (which last year took place at a separate ceremony, held in the summer). That might be seen as a sure thing for her to take the title, but apparently that’s not the case. As former IML champ Jeffrey Payne-Roy pointed out in the announcements, in order to win the title, the contestant must score a minimum of 70. Because Master Ces did not reach that threshold, current reigning Ms. Texas Leather Synn Evans was tapped to continue in the position for 2013.

Or so it seemed. That was at 10:20 p.m. By 10:30, things had changed.

The disappointment and empathy for Master Ces in the audience was palpable and within about 10 minutes, the judges rescinded their prior decision. [ED NOTE: Apparently, there was a tallying error; see below.] Master Ces was officially instated as the new 2013 Ms. Texas Leather. Official photos were re-taken with the new titleholder in place.

One thing that did not change that night was the sash bestowing Mr. Texas Leather on Austin’s Bobby Thurman (pictured). One of the co-founders of Austin Gears, a year-old fetish organization in the capital, and the current Mr. Leather Knight, Thurman was clearly a popular choice among the many qualified and well-dressed candidates. He will compete at International Mr. Leather in Chicago next Memorial Day weekend.

Congrats to both.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Jack Duke wins International Leather Sir

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When someone comes in the top 3 at a competition like International Mr. Leather, they usually hang up their competition jockstrap and become a senior statesman of the leather community. For a few years, Jack Duke did just that — judging other leatherman competitions, attending ex officio, etc.

But it turns out Duke wasn’t quite done with competing.

This weekend, Duke took first place in the International Leather Sir/boy competition in San Francisco.

It’s a wonderful coup for the Dallas-based pastry chef, following his third-place finish at IML in 2010, where he competed as Mr. Texas Leather.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

And the winner of IML is….

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… not Mr. Texas Leather.

Gabe Sims — whom we profiled this week on his run-up to the Chicago leatherfest, the 34th annual International Mr. Leather competition — came in 24th out of 48 contestants … a more than respectable showing. So, Sims must be disappointed. Not in the least, he told me.

“Don’t be sorry [I didn’t win,” he said. He got to meet IML founder Chuck Renslow in a “very solemn and emotional” ceremony. After what Sims felt was a successful interview and before the “pecs and personality” event, he went shopping. “A friend of mine fusses because I wear Wranglers, so I purchased some Nasty Pig jeans,” he said. Only fitting. Even though he lost, Sims calls his first IML appearance “an awesome experience. Not bad for a 55-year-old.” True, that.

Oh, and Mr. Michigan Leather Woody Woodruff took the title. Congrats to him.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Ms. Texas Leather Synn Evans wins International Ms. Leather over the weekend

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The leather title tradition continued this weekend when Synn Evans, from Dallas, brought home the International Ms. Leather title. This matches the International Mr. Leather title won by Jeffrey Payne in 2009. This was the 26th annual event for the title, which was held in San Francisco.

She was tagged in this photo soon after she won the contest. Read our profile on Evans when she won Ms. Texas Leather 2011.

 

 

—  Rich Lopez

And the new Mr. Texas Leather is …

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… Gabe Sims! It was a busy few days for the leather community as Texas Leather Weekend got under way, with the naming of Sims as the new Mr. Texas Leather. The Shreveport, La., native, who now resides in Irving, came into the competition with the title Mr. Hidden Door, and bested six other entrants from around the state to take the title. This automatically qualifies Sims to compete in International Mr. Leather in Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend this spring.

Sims has some big jackboots to fill. Two of the past three Mr. Texas Leather winners — Jeffrey Payne and Jack Duke (who served as head judge this weekend) — have done well at IML, with Duke coming in third in 2010 and Payne winning the who schmere in 2009.

Check out our slideshow from the event here.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Jeffrey Payne announced as TGRA Grand Marshal for annual March rodeo

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Former International Mr. Leather Jeffrey Payne can add another accomplishment to his resume. The Texas Gay Rodeo Association has announced Payne as its 2012 Grand Marshal for its annual March event, A Texas Tradition Rodeo. TGRA celebrates almost 30 years of gay rodeo and the 2012 event will be held March 2–4 in Fort Worth.

Read the official announcement after the jump.

Continue reading “Jeffrey Payne announced as TGRA Grand Marshal for annual March rodeo” »

—  Rich Lopez

And the new IML is … NOT from Texas

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The run couldn’t last forever. In 2009, Dallas’ Jeffrey Payne won the overall title at International Mr. Leather. Last year, Dallas’ Jack Duke came in third overall. This year, Mr. Texas, Roger Triche, was from Houston and represented Texas at IML. Roger unfortunately finished out of the money, and the winner for 2011 ended up being Frenchman Eric Gutierrez, the reigning Mr. Leather Europe.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Threepeat?

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HELLBENT FOR LEATHER | Scott Moore has planned for a year to try and repeat the achievements of Dallas leathermen Jeffrey Payne and Jack Duke. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)

Dallas has become a player in the international leather scene, and Scott Moore hopes to keep streak alive

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES  | Life+Style Editor
jones@dallasvoice.com

Scott Moore has some big boots to fill — and we don’t just mean size 13 triple Ds.

In 2008, Dallas’ Jeffrey Payne parlayed his Mr. Dallas Eagle leatherman title into Mr. Texas Leather 2009, then went on to score the top international prize: International Mr. Leather. His service was seen as a benchmark for the entire community, and an award was even named after him.

The next year, Dallas’ Jack Duke pulled off almost the same feat, going from Mr. Dallas Eagle to Mr. Texas Leather and coming in an impressive third overall at IML.

The Texas leather scene — and more impressively, Dallas’ — was on the map for its depth and seriousness.

And that’s where Moore has to follow.

He’ll slide on his jackboots and strap on his harness this weekend to compete in the 16th annual Texas Leather Weekend, as leatherman from across the state gather in Dallas to celebrate their brotherhood and crown the new Mr. Texas Leather.

Whoever wins will go on to Chicago and IML in the spring, but Moore would like for North Texas to represent for a third year in a row … and, of course, work its way onto the winners’ podium.

“It hit home for me after I won Mr. Dallas Eagle and [the Voice] started listing [in Instant Tea] the history of the event, which I knew, but seeing it in print … well, as you say, I have big boots to fill. Jeffrey was phenomenal and Jack has also done a lot. But for now my goal is not to trip when coming up the stairs or fall off the edge of the stage. The rest will work itself out.”

Moore is being modest — this isn’t his first time on the runway. A few years ago, he was entered by a friend in the Bear of the Month contest at the Eagle, and eventually went on to be named Mr. TBRU 2007. Still, Mr. Dallas Eagle was the first leather contest he’d ever entered.

It was the culmination of a long journey for him. Moore, 43, started in the leather community 14 years ago when he still lived in San Antonio. That’s when his lover gave him a gift: His first piece of leather.

“It was a harness — I still wear it,” he says. “I have been increasingly active ever since.”

In fact, it was watching Payne and Duke win — as well as attending IML and other events — that gave him the impetus to seek out the title for himself.

“I really wanted to get more involved and be part of this brotherhood. It was on my mind for a year. So I read extensively, and have gone to a lot of events. There’s quite a bit of preparation. And it’s not a cheap hobby,” he says.
When it comes down to it, though, he knows the competition will really just be an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of the leather community.

“I have met all of my competitors and have a really good group of people but there is no history or drama. Everyone’s advice is to be yourself and have fun. As a contestant, the have fun part is harder. I tend to be a little uptight — it’s in my nature. Paranoia helps as an attorney.”

Might not be had for a leatherman, either.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition Jan. 28, 2011. 

—  John Wright

Scott Moore named Mr. Dallas Eagle 2011

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The Mr. Dallas Eagle title has been a stepping stone for greater things recently. In 2009, Jeffrey Payne went from Mr. Dallas Eagle on to Mr. Texas Leather and finally International Mr. Leather, the top leatherman title in the world. In 2010, Mr. Dallas Eagle Jack Duke also became Mr. Texas Leather, ultimately finishing third at IML. So pressure is on Scott Moore, who on Saturday night was named Mr. Dallas Eagle 2011. Moore will compete for Mr. Texas Leather at the end of January; IML, if he goes on to it, is in late May.

I spoke with Jack Duke Friday, his last full day as Mr. Dallas Eagle. He told me he was a little sad to lose the title, but he only had it a few weeks before becoming Mr. Texas — that one, he says, will be hard to lose.

Congrats to Scott!

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Heavy metal

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Jack Duke, Dallas’ top leatherman, bucks the odds by placing at IML

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES | Life+Style Editor  jones@dallasvoice.com




2009’s International Mr. Leather, Jeffrey Payne

BRONZE LEATHER | Jack Duke took a medallion at IML, only Texas’ fourth finalist win in the competition’s history, right on the heels of 2009’s International Mr. Leather, Jeffrey Payne. (Arnold Wayne Jones/DallasVoice)




Even though he really wanted to win International Mr. Leather, Jack Duke knew going in not to expect lightning to strike twice.
It almost did though.

Duke was already the reigning Mr. Dallas Eagle and Mr. Texas Leather when he headed up to IML in Chicago last month to compete alongside 52 other leathermen for the top title in the community. The problem was, his story was already news last year. That’s when Jeffrey Payne — who was also Mr. Dallas Eagle and also Mr. Texas Leather — won the IML title. What were the chances Duke would repeat?

Not very good, especially since Payne was already considered one of the top winners of IML ever — so good, in fact, that this year, an award was named after him. Those are big jackboots to fill.

But Duke did almost the impossible, coming in second runner-up and bringing home to Texas only its fourth IML medallion in 30-plus years.

“Almost 1,500 men have competed in IML in the last 34 years; there are just 34 of these [second runner-up medallions]. And this is just the fourth medallion in Texas ever. Not bad. My only hope is that the community is happy. It was a lot of work,” he says.

Not bad for a man who barely spoke English five years ago when he moved to Dallas from his homeland of Italy.

When he first arrived in the U.S., Duke spoke some English but was not fluent, especially when in groups or with those who spoke too fast. He’d just “smile and wave” a lot, he says — not bad training for his pageant career, as it turned out.

His current arc marks the first year that Duke, who was also involved in the leather community in Italy, has competed. But it’s probably the last time, too.

“It’s been a very long few months and I’m happy the way I am. I don’t think I’m gonna do another competition — I’m good with what I got,” he says.

While it was his first competition, it wasn’t Duke’s first time at IML — he was an observer in 2009 when Payne took the title. The experience this time, however, was very different.
“I was there last year and it was fun; this year was fun in a different way,” he says. “This year I had so much to do, from Wednesday when we arrived till Tuesday morning when I left, that I didn’t have time even for eating. But it was a good experience. I think I made friends for the rest of my life.”

There’s certainly evidence that he was a popular finalist. Already he has received offers from leather groups in Europe (Italy, Germany) to be an honored guest, as well as Oklahoma and Houston. And in true Texas fashion, he says his first obligation will be to the Lone Star State.

“My obligations are for Texas first,” he says. “Since I am not the IML winner but second runner-up, I have the option to choose. So I’m setting all my dates in Texas and any other offers will be evaluated. Luckily I travel so much [with my job] I can manage” appearances all over the country.

The overall experience was surreal for Duke — from taking over and entire downtown Hyatt Regency to the pace he had to maintain.

“When you’re there, you live in this bubble,” he says. “You can even walk on Michigan Avenue in leather and no one looks at you twice. Then you come back to reality. Last night, we went to see Sex and the City 2 and we haven’t seen so many women all week as we did at the theater!

“I got zero sleep. It was terrible. You have to get up early and go to the gym, which is packed with all the guys competing. The meetings are so early. And if an event starts at 6 or 7, we have to meet at noon. Winners get invited to a private dinner with the owner. The next morning you wake up and do photo shoots. It was like being in the army.”

Duke is proudest that he was able to give the Texas leather community another victory to crow about.

“This is good, putting Texas out there alongside Mr. Los Angeles Leather and Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather,” he says. “That’s giving a lot of focus on Texas. People are gonna pay attention now.”

Although, he concedes, “The next Mr. Texas is gonna have a lot of work!”

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 18, 2010.

—  Dallasvoice